Being a good corporate citizen is not only the right thing to do, but it’s proving to be an essential business tool in the competitive market. Those companies that embrace corporate philanthropy find that they are not only creating social change in the communities where they live and work, but also are reaping the unintended benefits of strong return on investment (ROI) to their business in multiple areas. Continue Reading Corporate philanthropy

The El Paso County Department of Health and Environment is considered a large health department — only 4 percent of health departments across the country serve populations of more than 500,000 people.
Large health departments are expected to provide services that might not be required of smaller health departments, such as sophisticated information and communication systems and professionals trained in epidemiology, biostatistics and health education. Continue Reading How important is a strong local health department?

All leaders achieve one of three levels: appointed, accepted and adored. An appointed leader does not have to earn a leadership position, but is assigned to it. A newly minted Army second lieutenant receiving his or her first command is a good example of this level of leadership. The second level is follower acceptance of the leader. Once assigned to a leadership position, a leader has to earn the acceptance of followers through demonstrated competence in his/her assigned role. Rarely, followers come to adore their leader not only because of his/her competence, but because of his/her level-headedness and habit of protecting the dignity of followers. The leader demonstrates through his/her words and actions that he/she cares about followers beyond the boundaries of their roles on the team. I call leaders who achieve this level, Level-Three leaders. Continue Reading Earning the right to followers

As a native of Colorado Springs (a fact whose importance gets overblown continuously) I have watched Colorado Springs grow like crazy, and remember my grandfather who ran a tourist court in Ivywild during the 1930s and who became one of Colorado’s foremost masonry contractors (including the masonry for First Presbyterian downtown and the Corpus Christi church by Penrose hospital) talk about how bright the future was for Colorado Springs, before even Circle Drive was a twinkle in his eye. Continue Reading Changing leadership for changing Colorado Springs

On March 10, Leadership Pikes Peak will present awards to three outstanding community leaders during the organization’s annual Celebration of Community Leadership at 5:30 p.m. at Doolittle Hall at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
The evening includes live entertainment, silent and live auctions, and a keynote presentation by leadership expert and author Robert Ginnett. Continue Reading Outstanding community leaders recognized

On January 26, Nancy Lewis completed her year as chairwoman of the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. In her remarks at the chamber’s annual dinner, she reflected on her service with the following comments regarding the opportunity for our community to work together: Continue Reading Nancy Lewis

The word philanthropy is used more and more these days, but I’m not sure people really know what it means.
Most of us have thought of philanthropists as a privileged few – those of great wealth who put their fortunes into foundations to benefit future generations. We think of the Mellons, the Carnegies, the Penroses and others, and are grateful for the incredible good they have provided for our communities and country. Continue Reading Philanthropists – wealth and wisdom and leadership